By the Sea?

[CharlesHarris]

I spent much of my public works career deployed under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact implementing preparedness, mitigation and emergency protective measures before, logistics supporting the public safety response to disasters, and debris management operations after events had passed.

You want your home or retreat well above the 100-year base flood elevation and far enough inland and uphill from rivers to be clear of storm tidal surges and flood zones. Forty miles is better than four. High ground is advantageous as well. As for myself, I picked a location "outside the moderate damage radius" from Washington, DC, with two ridges of mountains between me and the city, at 1000 ft. elevation on the western slope facing away from town, in a rural, agricultural community of about 10,000 population. While I have neighbors nearby, I am isolated enough that I could shoot out of my windows and nobody would care.

[TOF]

I would love to live nearer the coast. Not only is there better potntial for food, but seaweed in all it's forms is magic stuff. You can distill Iodine from it, eat it, use it a fertilizer/ soil improver and finally...... tell the weather by it.

[NorthernRaider]

I like being 10 miles from the sea 289 ft above sea level with reasonable access to the coast and two navigable rivers.

[Highlander]

Although I am only 4 miles from the coast, the sea would have to rise between 15 - 20 meters to reach my door

[Scythe13]

I was thinking more along the same lines as NR and MoleT. Close enough to be able to make a quick journey down there, do a little fishing and shore scavenging, and then back home to fertile lands, unaffected by the ocean spray and the alike.

For me, somewhere high up would be ideal. There are some lovely places by Woolacombe, where you can be high up out of the way, but also have some brilliant ocean access. Woolacombe isn't quite my kind of place, but that gives a better idea of the kind of thing I'm thinking of.

Some very valid points, and I like the info on checking storm surges and the alike. But with global warming and the way the weather is at the moment, we really couldn't have any clue about what could happen.

I'm more partial towards NR's idea of having a couple of accessible rivers. The wife and I might be getting a kayak soon enough, so that'll be great fun AND a potential survival tool. If we do go for ocean kayaks, you can be sure we'll be mapping on the way to the ocean and then looking at areas up and down shore, looking for in rivers and the alike, for potential BOL's.

[CharlesHarris]

In the US the Geological Survey and National Weather Service compile historical flood data which is used to perform risk assessments used for the National Flood Insurance Program. I've provided some links to some typical public information resources. Unlike the UK, the mid-Atlantic states have a tidal plain which is subject to flooding from hurricance storm surges up to the "fall line."

http://www.vaemergency.gov/webfm_send/86...ooding.pdf
http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/wv.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1007/
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/marfc/Rivers/Flo..._table.pdf

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In the US the Geological Survey and National Weather Service compile historical flood data which is used to perform risk assessments used for the National Flood Insurance Program. I've provided some links to some typical public information resources. Unlike the UK, the mid-Atlantic states have a tidal plain which is subject to flooding from hurricance storm surges up to the "fall line."

http://www.vaemergency.gov/webfm_send/86...ooding.pdf
http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/wv.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1007/
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/marfc/Rivers/Flo..._table.pdf

[Midnitemo]

I live on a peninsular .... water on three sides ... its own micro climate... i'm high enough above sea level for it not to be a problem....would be a superb spot if it weren't for the other 450,000+ people on it with me!

[bigpaul]

living where we do, 20-25 miles from the "coast" it would hardly be a gentle stroll, so i'll stick to inland waterways.

[BeardyMan]

I can see the sea from our little village. 8 miles away by road, probably 5 as the crow flies.

It's very windy. Like, always windy. Handy if you have wind turbine.

Summertime is a nightmare, hoards of tourists descend upon the place. (At least their driving is better than the locals; Cornish people shouldn't be allowed to operate a motor vehicle, they've got no idea how to use one properly.)

So pro's and cons, same as always. It's always windy though, always. Combined with either light rain, rain, torrential rain or biblical rain.
The locals can be funny with outsiders too, so make sure you get to know people in the area you'll be bugging out to (or moving to if you're daft like me)

Did I mention the wind?

So personally I don't think the North Cornwall coast (where I am) is the best spot. Maybe for a bug out location (if no where else to go) but certain not as a place to live.

Oh yeah, it's very windy too.

[Skean Dhude]

BM,

I've heard it can get windy down there. Have you noticed any winds?



SD